Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

SandraScarlett · 12 January 2011 at 7:05PM

Hi Erme. Well done on trying to stop smoking. It's so hard, and anything that helps is a bonus. I never had trouble giving up, it was just I went back regularly too! I used to cut drinking straws in 3, and got some very odd looks when I used to whip out a pink one, and sucked heavily on it! Sometimes, when desperate, I'd pick up a sugar wrap in a cafe and furiously drag on that.

Patches worked for 2 years, then my Mum died, and it was any excuse and back I went. But the best thing I found were e-ciggies. I smoked Silk Cut Ultra, or Silver, which are a bit like fresh air, so I tried the lowest filter of e-cigs, and, to begin with, alternated with a normal ciggy. Then bit by bit I cut down, not bothering to even get the refills after a while.

It was great to begin with, when I used to puff away in a restaurant after a meal, and people would complain, so I'd tell them it was false and stub my glowing ciggie on my hand!! I still keep an emergency packet of ciggies in the house, wrapped in a selotaped bag, wrapped in another bag, sealed in a tin, so that I know, if I really want one, I can, but the packet's about 2 years old now!

Even if you just manage to cut out one ciggy a day, that's 18 packets a year, which must be about £150? Good luck, and don't beat yourself up if you can't do it all at once. I think anyone who can just go cold turkey is amazing, like people who don't eat between meals, or never eat chocolate! :beer:

xx

cw18 · 12 January 2011 at 7:09PM

redglass wrote: »

Cheryl, if your bloke can drive with sciatica, all I can say is, he must have nerves of steel! :eek: Hope he is soon completely better...

Well, he was back at work and driving today !!!
(and he apparently remembers very little of yesterday - including my nagging! told him I'll nag harder next time :rotfl:)

When I'm on the Jan Regulars page, how do I make successive entries? I have about £16 down for presents so far (I count presents as a regular expense), and today I bought something else, so I want to add it. But if I put it in the columns to the right it doesn't seem to come out on the totals. I tried erasing the original and putting the new one in, but of course that also erases the earlier purchase from the totals page! Where/how do I record dates/amounts for subsequent purchases of presents?

I stick it all in the same cell.

put a '=' in front of the first amount, and then a '+' before the second one (and before any others after that)

so if you enter =10+5+3.16
when you tab off the field it will actually show as 18.16

Laushappy · 12 January 2011 at 7:23PM

Well still havent worked out my budget yet, but aiming to spend no more than £75.00 per week on groceries (i will only buy organic on certain things which is why this is quite high, but do try to get lots of whoopsies if poss) also still have a little un in nappies!
With my eldest i joined a nappy trial club and got loads of free packs of nappies, which was great (think it was for omega research) should really look into this again.

I was quite chuffed last week as managed 5 NSD in a row :j, although the only problem is when i did need to go the shops i was like a dog being let off the lead! Does anyone else find that when you dont spend for a few days all you can think about is spending and bargain hunting?! :rotfl::rotfl:

Will get back to those who have asked for lunch box ideas etc, but need to go and get hubbies dinner! left over pasta bake from last night. Yum!

redglass_2 · 12 January 2011 at 7:48PM

cw18 wrote: »

I stick it all in the same cell.

put a '=' in front of the first amount, and then a '+' before the second one (and before any others after that)

so if you enter =10+5+3.16
when you tab off the field it will actually show as 18.16

:T:T:T:T I would never have dared even to start a spreadsheet without help. Thank you!

never_too_old · 12 January 2011 at 7:52PM

is it worth me doing a 5 min drive in a mo to Mr M to see if there are an reductions?

is that being frugal?

natnat13 · 12 January 2011 at 7:53PM

My dishwasher looks clean and smells like lemonade! I won't be able to tell until I use it again whether it has done the job but I'm sure it will have definately helped.

I went shopping today but stuck to my list and spent 22.89 which included steak for hubbies birthday meal tomorrow which is now nicely marinating in the fridge. Then I went to fill up the car which I haven't done since before christmas, my knees started knocking when it got to £50 so I stopped! Then my friend who works in a custard factory bought me 12 pots choc custard, 12 pots rice pud and 12 tins of custard for £3 from the factory shop (which meer mortals are not allowed in, only staff!) that should keep us going for a while. I cleared out my cupbords to fit all this in and found I has 3 jars worcester sauce, a full jar of pesto, 2 full anti-bac sprays and loads of tinned soup which is also good :jBUT has taught me I need better stock control! :mad:
So a spendy day today but hoping for no spends until haircuts on Sat now
Nat x

lynzpower · 12 January 2011 at 8:00PM

l.m.hart wrote: »

is it worth me doing a 5 min drive in a mo to Mr M to see if there are an reductions?

is that being frugal?

persnoally i dont think so

if you walked it would be

the price of petrol these days :eek:

never_too_old · 12 January 2011 at 8:03PM

lynzpower wrote: »

persnoally i dont think so if you walked it would be the price of petrol these days :eek:

Thanks
since i now dont go to a supermarket on a daily basis, i dont see the reductions so was just wondering if people thought it worthwhile to do a special trip, think i might do my weekly shop next week at the time it says on here that reductions are done:D

itsallinthemind · 12 January 2011 at 8:04PM

SandraScarlett wrote: »

They had Christmas dark chocolates, reduced from £11.30 to £2.26 and they were wonderful!

And talking of giving up, was it you itsallinthemind who has given up chocolate, cheese and coffee? How are you getting on, cos those are my mega downfalls in life, and I think you said you'd nearly completed the first month without them. Well done to you. I think you're the lady who said her children, or one of them, goes to school at some ungodly hour, like 7 in the morning! :eek: How on earth can you function without a coffee fix!!

Bargain!:T

I'm not sure I am functioning! Withdrawal the first 5 days was hell frankly. I had the most evil migraine for 3 days! It is a month today. I'm desperate for a coffee, but not desperate to do a 500g tin each week, I was beyond addicted! I'm not sure I know how do do things in moderation!

Yes I wake 5-530, then wake them after I eat, bus comes at 7:13. Lot of time, but dressing them can take two minutes or an hour, depending on their mood! Normally youngest is not awake my then, think they prefer to stay out of the chaos!

Laushappy wrote: »

I was quite chuffed last week as managed 5 NSD in a row :j, although the only problem is when i did need to go the shops i was like a dog beinghink about is spending and bargain hunting?! :rotfl::rotfl:

Well done!

Well, spend day today as I had my Amazon standing order for baby wipes, 9 at £5.33 come out of the bank. Then topped up my mobile £10. Groceries wise, I am waiting till Friday. Today we had leftover minestrone and left over Channa Dhal. Which I was glad of as I feel shattered today

So NSD is 9 out of 12. 2 out of bank, 1 cash groceries.

23rdspiral · 12 January 2011 at 8:05PM

Laushappy wrote: »

Does anyone else find that when you dont spend for a few days all you can think about is spending and bargain hunting?! :rotfl::rotfl:

that was my problem yesterday - i spent 26.35, mostly on sewing items - but all of it was totally justifiable and i dont feel guilty - but that's not saying i wont come the end of the month!

(but at least i'll know what i've spent where/when/why!)

Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

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